Infiltration bids down in 2018: GoI

“No presence of ISIS in JK, only cases of waving of flags”

New Delhi: The government today informed the Rajya Sabha that only 133 infiltration attempts have been made through Indo-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir up to June this year, as against 406 in 2017.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said till June this year, as many as 14 terrorists have been killed on the Pakistan border and only one security personnel has been killed and two injured during such infiltrations.

Giving figures, he said last year, as many as 59 terrorists and seven securitymen were killed and 18 injured during such infiltrations.

The minister also informed the members during Question Hour that 64 incidents of infiltration have taken place along the Indo-Myanmar border in which 3 insurgents were killed and 66 terrorists/insurgents were caught till July 28 this year.

Against this, during 2017 he said there were 99 such infiltrations along the Myanmar border in which 9 terrorists/ infiltrators were killed and 130 of them were caught alive.

The minister also said that except along the Indo-Pak border in J and K, there were only 4 incidents of infiltrations till July 28, as against 10 reported in 2017 in which two terrorists/insurgents were killed.

Meanwhile, Union minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said today that no terrorist of the ISJK, an outfit influenced by ISIS ideology, is active in Jammu and Kashmir and the extent of ISIS presence in the state was till recently limited to waving flags of the global terror group and Pakistan.

Appropriate action under law has been taken against those who were involved in cases of waving ISIS and Pakistani flags in Jammu and Kashmir, the minister said.

There were eight such cases in 2015, 31 cases in 2016 and five cases in 2017.

“Till recently the extent of ISIS presence in Jammu and Kashmir was limited to waving of ISIS and Pakistani flags by some miscreants. However, on June 22, 2018, four terrorists belonging to the ISJK, an outfit influenced by ISIS ideology, were neutralised in Anantnag district. At present no terrorist of ISJK is reportedly active in the state,” he said in response to a written question.

Since the imposition of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir on June 20, 176 people have been arrested for pelting stones, Ahir said in reply to another question.

Besides, there were 39 incidents of militant violence in which eight security forces personnel were martyred and three civilians lost their lives, he added.

Fourteen militants were also killed in these incidents.

The minister also said 213 militants, including 86 local, were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017. In 2016, 150, including 33 local militants, were killed in the state.